Andy Murray holds off Roger Federer in a five-set semifinal showdown on Friday in Melbourne. Murray advances to the title match, in which he will face Novak Djokovic.
Match highlights:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5kzxtx2ntk]
The Andy Murray of old may not been able to get through this one.
But the new Andy Murray, the one who won gold at the 2012 London Olympics and captured his first Grand Slam title at the 2012 U.S. Open, was on display in an Australian Open semifinal thriller against Roger Federer on Friday night. Murray prevailed 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-2 in exactly four hours to set up a blockbuster final against Novak Djokovic.
The Scot seemingly had the upper hand the most of the way, especially in the first and third sets. He won the opener while serving at 72 percent and saving the only break point he faced. Murray put in 68 percent of his first offerings during the third frame of play and dropped only five points in five service games.
Federer may not have been at his absolute best, but he more than made a match of this one thanks to mental strength and sheer determination (and of course some stellar tennis, as well). Statistics can never measure intangibles, but consider this: Federer finished with 43 winners, 60 unforced errors, five aces and two double-faults; Murray recorded 62 winners, 47 errors, 21 aces, and zero doubles. Despite those lopsided numbers, Federer still took it to five sets.
The second-ranked Swiss managed to do so by taking a pair of tiebreakers. He gave back a mini-break at 4-3 in the second-set ‘breaker but regained it at 5-5 then closed it out by forcing Murray into a forehand error. A dramatic fourth set saw Federer break his opponent’s serve at 5-6 to stay alive. With momentum in hand, he raced through the ensuing tiebreaker seven points to two.
A tense moment with Murray serving for the match at 6-5 in the fourth.
There was still room enough for one more momentum swing–but no more. Murray took control of the fifth set right from the start with an immediate break for 2-0 and this time he refused to let his stranglehold slip. The No. 3 seed held comfortably en route to 5-2 then broke again to clinch victory in style. Murray converted his second match point when Federer sent a forehand past the baseline.
Murray’s post-match interview with Jim Courier:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbAhWsvGuDw]
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